There was a time when I could tell people I’d only ever
flown in a plane but never landed in one (three times) – that was until my
little adventure to Vegas last week where I was enlightened by flashing neon
signs, rugged mountain climbs and late-night dancing to Skrillex at a club
called Surrender. It wasn’t entirely “Hunter S. Thompson-esque,” but it was an
experience I’ll leave for the books and my camera.
I’m a writer and a photographer – at least, that’s what I’ve
done since I was 18 years old. Currently, I’m a marketing and media coordinator
at a strategic communications firm called Images, Inc. I write social media
posts for our clients, newsletters, manage endless amounts of data and help
plan public meetings for agencies including the Illinois Department of Transportation,
Pace Bus, Wisconsin Department of Transportation, etc.
I graduated from North Central College in 2015 with a
bachelor’s degree in journalism. I was hunting for jobs for sixth months, turning over stones, desperately looking for my “in” in the “real world.” It was
one month before graduation when I found my answer… the one answer I never
planned on: grad school. The marketing department at North Central had an
opening for a graduate assistant and my advisor recommended me for the
position. Within a week, I had an interview. The week following, I was accepted
into the professional leadership master’s program. I started career hunting
early and landed the marketing and media position in January of this year – so,
here we are.
Where would I like to take my education?
The dream is to take my skills in writing and leadership to
National Geographic or an advertising agency in Colorado. We’ll see where this
road leads me.
